Peak Finder

Photo: Andy Good Peak from above Blairmore

Andy Good Peak

  • 2621 m (8,600ft)
  • Naming History
49.5656N -114.588W
Located on the continental divide in the Crowsnest River Valley at the headwaters of Andy Good Creek, Ptolemy Creek, and North York Creek

Range: Flathead
Province: Alberta/BC
Headwater: Oldman/Kootenay
Major Valley: Crowsnest
Visible from Highway: 3
Year Named: 1916
Named for: Good, Andy (Proprietor of the Summit Hotel in the Crowsnest Pass at the turn of the century, Andy Good was a colourful character in the history of the Crowsnest Pass area.)

When viewed from Highway #3 at Blairmore, Andy Good Peak is the strikingly symmetric peak in the group of mountains lying south of Crowsnest Pass. In early summer large snowpatches fill the cirques on either side of the peak. Andy Good Peak was named after one of the most interesting of the early residents of the Crowsnest Pass. In 1897, when the railway was under construction through the Pass, Andy and Kate Good decided that the hotel business offered great potential. At the point where the railway was to cross the border between British Columbia and what was then the Northwest Territories, they set up a hotel using tents. Before long they realized that they did indeed have a good location and built a wooden structure to replace the tent hotel. It was an impressive structure, featuring twin stairways to a large front porch area supported by fine stonework. The upper floor of the hotel featured a large balcony. Since it was on the Continental Divide, they called in the Summit Hotel. Baptiste La More, a hunter of French origin, supplied wild meat for the hotel's dining room. The hotel must have had some excellent chefs because it became known across the continent for its fine food. Renowned as well was the collection of mounted trophy game heads in the bar and lobby. In order to offer visitors even more in the way of memorable attractions, Andy had a zoo. He tamed birds and animals, including bears, and taught them to do numerous interesting and challenging tricks. As the years went by the Summit Hotel became a popular resort. In 1909, the Goods were able to advertise the largest dance pavillion under cover in British Columbia. Mount McLaren, Mount Parrish, Andy Good, and Mount Coulthard form a semicircle which contains the headwaters of North York Creek. In the upper reaches of this cirque are the entrances to a major cave system within Mount Coulthard. In addition the remains of a Royal Canadian Air Force DC-3 aircraft can also be found. It was on a flight from Comox, BC to Greenwood, Nova Scotia and was lost on January 9, 1946 when it struck one of the peaks of the Flathead Range killing all seven aboard. Rescue crews took several days to locate the crash site and then ten more were required to remove the bodies on toboggans.